Photo by Vanessa Kaukonen
Our daughter is on Spring Break down at Virginia Beach with her pals and we are here in Athens, Ohio left to fend for ourselves. What to do for dinner… what to do? Time for a trip to O’Betty’s Red Hot… the finest hot dogs in all the land! The fries can’t be beat either, IMHO.
Photo by Jorma Kaukonen
Stadium mustard… must have it in this application!
It’s not a dark and stormy night, but it is a bleak and rainy day. Our Pals here have the right idea!
Photo by Vanessa Kaukonen
The anti dog hair covers come off when we want to sit… otherwise it’s right of eminent domain!
Gotta go… got some guitar playing and dog walking to do!
More will be revealed!
BTW Happy St. Paddy’s Day!
Hey Jorma!
I was having dinner with a buddy of mine last night, and he mentioned something about a softball game between Jefferson Airplane and The Grateful Dead. Any recollection of this?
Peace,
Bob
Homey didn’t play that sh*t back then so I can’t weigh in. Graham was always organizing stuff like that back in the day.
@Jorma
Me, well I’m more a jugheadtype then archie
Peace✌🏻️❤️Love All Ways🔥🚲🌹🙏🏻🖖🏼
Hello, Jorma
CI guess you know Canned Heat introduced themselves to Hooker upon seeing him at an airport. He told them he liked what they had done with a couple of his songs and they later recorded together. Ever get thoughts from originals (whatever that is) on your interpretations of blues records?
Canned Heat, Tuna, Brit Blues were my introduction to the genre. Entering HS in suburban metro NY in ’78 didn’t bring me into contact with many other fans. It was basically my art instructor and me, and he cringed at some of what I talked about (He laughed at story involving Dad hollering at Lee Zeppelin, which would put fear of God into anyone – picture Bob Mitchum going ballistic). Streaming music algo coincidentally just gave me a run of bluesy Mark Knopfler with yer man Charlie Musselwhite, same type of Dylan from latest Bootleg series, with Cashdollar shining, and Van Morrison. I fantasize about Black Hip-Hoppers going roots many years from now. but times I mentioned blues when talking music with Black folk has abbreviated the conversation. You’re in an almost unique position with respect to having loved the original genre, then been on the purist side of interpreting same post-transistor, and seen and heard the good, the bad and the ugly. There’s a question here somewhere.
Good stuff… I have learned from many in the post as a young artist. I never had the talent for replicating the masters when I was younger. In the long run I guess it has stood me in good stead. Many years ago at Olompali (One of the Dead’s communes) Janis, and I were talking by the pool with Jerry. We were agonizing over when we could be considered ‘authentic,’ whatever that meant to us at the time. Jerry without missing a beat and with that droll wisdom he possessed simply said, ‘You’re going to be archetypes!’ After all these years it would seem to be the case.
I listen to a lot of music… I am surrounded by greatness and I continue to be inspired!
@Art
You ain’t jokin’, neither!
Barbara Dane’s political activities are pretty amazing. Any history of folk music in America without a full reporting of its role in progressive politics and its inspiration from liberationist/leftist political thinking would be propagandizing worthy of Ron DeSantis.
I’m surprised no one picked Blind Justice.
If you guys needed a sax player I am sure Bleeding Gums Murphy (Simpsons fame) would have answered the call. Great event last night, glad you guys were able to power/generator through. Many thanks for one more Saturday night. Hope you got your power back today
Ok. One more reference before I beat this horse to death: From page 169 “In the fall of 1965 Hopkins toured the West Coast. He worked two weeks, September 7-20, at the Ash Grove in LA then headed to San Francisco to play a new club, the Matrix, from September 21 to 26 and again October 1-3. Marty Balin cofounded the club, which was located at 3138 Fillmore Street in the Marina district. The club opened on August 13,1965, with the debut of Balin’s band the Jefferson Airplane. The Airplane also served as Matrix’s house band. They shared the bill with Hopkins from September 23-26. Guitarist and band member Jorma Kaukonen named the band in tribute to Blind Lemon Jefferson’s name.” And yet another story told. Author did no citation here, so accuracy may be blurred. But, The Airplane fits into Lightnin’ Hopkins’ biography nonetheless. Over and out.
Blind Thomas Jefferson Airplane… Jorma (aka Jerry) Kaukonen
Blind Outrage… Tom Hobson
Lil Son Goldfarb… Steve Mann
Three Nom De Blues never used…
And that’s the rest of the story.
This is one of the most well researched and documented biographies of its kind I’ve ever read. It talks about the Matrix shows, mentions Jack, and talks of recording with Barbara Dane and opening for the Dead at the Fillmore. There is detailed information about record labels screwing Lightnin’ and Lightnin’ screwing record labels. I found this copy used on Amazon. It came via The Lewis and Clark Library, 120 S. Last Chance Gulch, Helena MT. Is that a trip, or what? Don’t never know what’s around the corner ‘til you look.
@Rob
Yeah, from my limited perspective it seemed audiences became more demanding after Woodstock.
Before that, a concert sufficed. After, it felt like a lot of people wanted more, “an experience.”
Kiss my ass if I didn’t find a recording oh her and Lightnin’ straight away on YouTube. I’ve never heard anyone share vocals with Lightnin’ verse for verse on any song. ‘Nuff said about this woman! You have expanded my blues horizon exponentially by sharing your encyclopedic knowledge. Your kindness is non pareil, Jorma.
https://youtu.be/ICtuXajQ0PY
Most grateful.
The book also talks about a place in San Francisco called Sugar Hill ,”Home of the Blues” owned by a woman named Barbara Dane on Broadway in the North Beach district. Anybody familiar with that place?
The place didn’t last long but I’m surprised as a blues fan you don’t know about Barbara Dane.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Dane
For starters.
You need to know about Rolf Cahn too.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolf_Cahn
These are important figures.
@Ed
Not to mention dance troupes, poets, jazz artists, what we now call “world music” artists, new artists, etc. Graham said that if he put a big draw like JA at the top of the bill, he could do just about anything further down and much of the crowd were cool with it–at least until the time when he decided to close both theaters because audiences, promoters, and artists were becoming more demanding.
@Rob
Yeah, the Fillmore East was the only place I ever saw a blues player accompanied by 4 tubas.
Graham also had a creative touch for dealing with anyone in the audience who lit up a joint in that firetrap. No ejection – an usher would just come over and shine a big flashlight on you until you put it out.
Tickets were in the $5-$6 range as I recall. Like my $5 ticket for an Airplane show in Jersey that got canceled. But I think that after that year’s worth of free Quarantine Concerts things are all squared.
Bill Graham himself discusses at considerable length his concerted effort to present a variety of different styles on the bills at the Fillmore Auditorium and Fillmores East and West in his autobiography with Robert Greenfield (Bill Graham Presents: My Life Inside Rock and Out). His approach would never go over today with everything being pigeonholed and segmented/dissected to the narrowest common denominator. Graham’s book is fascinating and well worth reading for anyone that hasn’t read it.
I think it was in Tamarkan’s book that Bill Graham and the San Francisco venues were hosting some of the original Blues Men like Albert King along with the psychedelic bands as a sort of a tribute to those who were there first…Wiki: “By the end of World War II, the center for Black life, music and entertainment had moved to the Fillmore District, earning it the title of “Harlem of the West.”[27] A small, but existent community of African Americans were present in the Fillmore District after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, but it wasn’t until World War II when the Fillmore District and San Francisco as a whole began to have a large African-American population.” Jack got very close to the strongest mojo out there when he played behind Jimi Hendrix in 1968 on his “Electric Ladyland” album in New York City…Jack would also play on stage with Jimi at the Winterland October 10th 1968…
I always liked Lightnin’s imperfect treble style…
Cool stuff there, carey!
Pigpen knew all about and could go on and on about the mojo hand.
G_d Bless all the great little hot dog stands across this land, the above mentioned Walters is right there at the top of the list
And, it is now officially Spring!
Man, I done got hold of a good one. I know anyone who’s done any listening to the blues has heard the Mojo Hand sung about. I always assumed some sort of voodoo reference, but never really knew. I think it’s kind of African American generic for a good luck charm. This book quotes Mance Lipscomb from Grimes county down here saying “They ain’t no better Mojo Hand than a sparkle stick, you know off a farkleberry tree. The Indian people down in Polk county” (I was planting trees close to the res up there last month) “put a lot of store in the power of a sparkle stick.” It’s a piece of wood off a huckleberry tree! I’m not going to Louisiana, but I’m headed out to the woods this weekend to get me a mojo hand. They grow all around here.
Hey Jorma. I’m reading a biography about Lightnin’ Hopkins called Mojo Hand. There’s a story about John Lomax getting him on the bill at the Berkeley Folk Festival in July, 1960. I don’t have my copy of Been So Long handy or I’d look there first. I know that’s about the time you got out west. Would you have made that show, by chance? The book says the festival ran annually from 1956 to 1971. If you ever went, was it a good one? Pre-dated Newport, I believe. Peace.
Hey Carey
I didn’t get to California until 1962. In 1965 or early 1966 we had Lightning at the Matrix for two weeks. Jack Casady backed Lightning on all those gigs. It was pretty exciting for all of us.
Jorma
Listening to Bless it’s pointed little head.
Did you guys hang much with Fred Neil?
Dumb ass that I am forgot to post the relevant link. DOH!!! https://ultimateclassicrock.com/woodstock-album-cover-bobbi-ercoline-dead/
I had never heard that the Woodstock LP cover was shot during the JA set! RIP young lady.
After seeing the photo of O’Betty’s hot dogs my mouth has been watering ever since and I developed an acute craving for hot dogs. I realized that I have not had a hot dog in years due to the pandemic.
Hence, I’m making plans to visit Walters Hot Dogs. Walters is an over 100-year-old hot dog stand located in Mamaroneck, NY. It is a fourth-generation family business and is a nationally registered historical landmark.
While I don’t profess to be a hot dog connoisseur, the wildlife seems to enjoy these dogs since a bird flew off with one from my picnic table. Having a hot dog from a stand established in 1919 is close to a religious experience. Guess I’m heading to Walters since Nathans doesn’t cut it anymore.
https://www.goldbelly.com/walters-hot-dogs
https://www.waltershotdogs.com/about
O’Betty’s Red Hots are darn tasty indeed! However, not sure they can top “dirty water dogs” from Cleveland Municipal Stadium circa 1970’s and 1980’s! Maybe Hurl can attest to that statement…or not 😀
Got Loudon Wainright III in Richmond on Saturday night. Never seen him live and so looking forward to his show at the Tin Pan.
Happy Saint Patrick’s Day as Mr Kantner would say Carry The Fire Peace✌🏻️❤️Love All Ways🔥🚲🌹🙏🏻🖖🏼
Better than Ante’s Hoppkorv?
You can’t beat a well dressed man going out for a dog.
I bet lamb skin casing with a great snap in the bite.
And the heat of the mustard mixing just right!
You got me thinking lyrically and now I’m hungry
I gotta go get a Dog.
“La Le Padraig!”
Finally. The secret to your longevity!!
WTF – After reading Jorma’s St Paddy’s Day blog entry I arbitrarily decided to play White Bird from the It’s a Beautiful Day album on youtube. I wondered if Jorma was into this tune. After the studio version played, the following version played much to my surprise! Happy St Paddy’s Day everyone!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbF6JuQ5iUI
They were my colleagues back in the day… still friends.